Breaking load test

Stranded conductors are installed and operated under heavy and sometimes extreme environmental conditions. This test determines and verifies the ultimate tensile strength of a conductor in order to ensure long term reliability under all circumstances, including during installation or when subject to climatic loads.

Apart from being typically carried out on stranded conductors, this test is suited for a variety of wires and cables, including catenary wires and feeders. Our lab is accredited for all standards including the common standards such as EN50182 and IEC61089.

Our strengths
Description

Lamifil has a 500kN, 20m test bench that is digitally controlled and logged, improving test precision.
We have experience with all conductor types (HTLS, composite core, GAP, catenary wires, feeders,…) and various anchoring types, including press fittings, epoxy/resin casts and wedge type clamps.
We are fully flexible in the choice of fittings to be used and can advise based on our experience.
This test can be executed while running a current of up to 2000A through the conductor.
The same set-up can be used for testing the accessories of the conductor.

The conductor is mounted in between one static point and one movable point;
Depending on the customer’s choice, the conductor is cast in resin or mounted in a fitting;
Once mounted, tension is gradually increased until breakage;
The breakage is examined and a graph is created to reflect tensile strength versus strain;
A full report is prepared including test object data, test description, set-up, procedure, results and conclusions.